Hard wood flooring looks fantastic, wears better than vinyl and helps to avoid dust-mites in the home, but looking after it correctly is important to ensure that your floor looks great for longer.

A few initial tips which you may not have realised are to avoid using household cleaning products, water, ammonia or any wax with a urethane or other glossy finish. All of these can permanently damage your flooring, and once damaged, you’ll likely need to replace the whole area.

Instead, you should treat your flooring products specifically designed for hard wood. This will help to protect the wood. Vacuuming is better for the floor than using a mop, and ensures that you get all of the dust and dirt from between the boards.

If you don’t already have them, sheers or blinds are a useful addition to the home, to help prevent and damage to the colour through direct sunlight. Over time, it will fade the wood, with many people not realising until they move furniture which has been in one position for a lengthy period of time.

Finally, make sure heeled shoes are left at the door, and pet’s claws are kept trimmed and filed. Scratches can occur very easily, so it’s best to prevent than try fix.